49ers Raheem Mostert on COVID-19 shutdowns: ‘It’s a smart reaction’

San Francisco 49ers running back Raheem Mostert joined the Jim Rome show and echoed support for leagues shutting down amid the COVID-19 crisis.

San Francisco 49ers running back Raheem Mostert is one of many professional athletes affected by the recent COVID-19 scare and outbreak gripping the world.

The coronavirus, as it’s also called, has forced a tremendous number of shakeups and cancellations going far above and beyond those within the sports community. Self-quarantines, runs on household supplies and travel restrictions have paralleled cases of leagues suspending seasons, cancelling events and so on.

Mostert also cancelled an autograph signing event, which was to be held on March 8, citing the desire to protect his family, most notably his eight-month-old son, Gunner, and his expected baby due this fall.

Appearing on the Jim Rome Show ahead of last weekend, Mostert explained the rationale in detail:

"One of the biggest things for me, if you get to know me, is my family. One of the things I was telling myself… I was talking with my wife, too, is that it was very important for us to stay ahead of this thing no matter what and protect ourselves. Because we have an eight-month old right now. His immune system is still growing, and he’s not ready for that type of stuff that’s going on in the world right now."

Mostert’s autograph session being cancelled is surely a precautionary move. And it’s one of many being experienced across multiple sports platforms.

The NBA recently suspended the 2019-20 season, while the NCAA’s complete cancellation of March Madness basketball tournaments is a drastic action. The XFL, which could possibly serve as a minor league to the NFL in some ways, also cancelled the remainder of its regular season.

While these events are certainly disappointing, the 49ers’ leading rusher argued in favor of these drastic actions:

"It’s a smart reaction because we don’t have enough research right now when dealing with the coronavirus. People can joke around and stuff like that about “it’s just one percent.” But me and my wife talk about it everyday. That’s one percent of people that are being affected, one percent that are dying.It’s one of those things we’ve still got to take this thing seriously. Because as you can see, it’s not normal for leagues to shut down and players to not play."

So far, there is little news about whether or not the NFL will take such drastic measures. Yet individual teams are taking actions.

The 49ers recently announced they’d be shutting down both Levi’s Stadium and the nearby SAP Performance Center until further notice, while most employees are being asked to work remotely or from home.

And it’s likely Mostert won’t be the only player canceling individual events for fans and members of the public.

Unlike the NBA and MLB, the NFL doesn’t quite have the same dramatic need to shut down events just yet. While COVID-19 has also forced cancellations of league meetings and individual events, the next major item on the calendar is the 2020 NFL Draft, which kicks off on April 23 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Currently, there’s only speculation if that three-day event will be altered in any way, and it’s likely teams like the 49ers and the rest of the league will adjust accordingly based on the virus’ spread.

Either way, Mostert’s precaution surely won’t be the exception to what’s going on amid one of the more provocative offseasons in recent league history.